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[Ted]

I bought a Squeezebox boom recently, very pleased with it, especially if you plug in some half decent speakers.

I've installed the server on all the machines here, a mixture of XP, Mandriva Linux and Ubuntu, making it run on Mandriva was a hair pulling, punching the keyboard type of affair but got there in the end. I'm now a master of, perl, mysql and cpan, well … almost.

However, running it from a computer seems to be less than ideal. I know its hard to believe but sometimes all the computers are off. 

Plan “B”. Install a NAS drive and run the squeezeboxserver on that. I've been looking at one of These, with something like This as storage.

It seems to tick all the right boxes. Does anybody have any experience with a ZyXEL NAS?

Any recommendations for a similar sort of price?

[Glenn]

Do you have an old PC doing nothing, Ted? If so, you could use it as a NAS with FreeNAS I used it without any problems, until I brought my Windows Home Server.

[Ted]

I do, but to be honest, its rubbish and I'd still have to buy a hard drive anyway. The dedicated NAS just seems a small, elegant solution, for not a lot of money.

I believe it only uses around 9watts in idle, I'd probably leave it on 24\7 with the router, not really sure what a PC uses but I expect it would be more?

OK, enough with the excuses, I just want a new toy! 

[Steve]

Ted. I use a WHS for Squeezeserver, the WOL works well. Personally I would struggle without specific wiki for the NAS device and the following would put me off but obviously it may be down to the users ignorance. http://boardreader.com/thread/Squeezecenter_on_Zyxel_NAS_210_ccrX1lkp.html

I know someone has developed a bespoke Linux mediacenter install which rips,coverts and uses Squeezeserver I just wish I could remember the name.
Edit Now I remember http://vortexbox.org/

[Ted]

Thanks, Steve. Vortexbox looks interesting but its PC based and I still need a big hard drive. At the moment I'm using "Grip" to rip, and encode using Flac, much better than mp3 in my opinion, although a larger file size.

I'll check out the NAS forums at ZyXEL again, I did have a quick look but I'll delve a bit deeper. As you say, it could just be user error.

[Steve]

I agree with you about Flac Ted, plus once they're all encoded I use the Flac library as a source for further encodes to MP3 the resulting bit rate chosen depending on the device i.e iPhone or MP3 CD for the car.

Instead of NAS how about building a mini ITX system?

[Sebby]

We've been working a Buffalo LinkStation Live pretty hard here at work for many years with no problems. I've recently upgraded the hard drive to 1.5TB too. There's loads of support for all different Buffalo models here.

[Steve]

Sebby,are you still using Buffalo firmware or have you managed to get Freelink on it,I've one stuck in a cupboard and Ted's given me an idea

[Ted]

"Freelink" looks interesting, what's on your mind, Steve?

[Steve]

I think a music server Ted  as you say power consumption is minimal.Whether it will run Squeezecenter I'm not sure.

Edit: seems to run with stock firmware http://martinwebster.info/2009/06/21/running-squeezecenter-on-a-buffalo-linkstation-live-part-1/

[Sebby]

Sebby,are you still using Buffalo firmware or have you managed to get Freelink on it,I've one stuck in a cupboard and Ted's given me an idea

I've only ever used the official firmware. If I had it at home, I'm probably mess about with it, but no point for work.

[Steve]

I'd probably brick it anyway and if the above link works and I just want a squeezebox server I can still use the stock firmware.

[Steve]

Ted I am having second thoughts any answers? If I run 7.3.1 on the Linkstation Live and 7.4.2 on the WHS I think if a switch from one to the other my fancy Squeezeboxes are going to spend a lot of time changing firmwares.

[Ted]

I have 7.4.2 on an XP laptop and 7.5.0 on my Linux Desktop and Firmware 50 on the squeezebox.

I've swapped from one to the other quite a few times now and the firmware hasn't changed on the squeezebox since I first got it. Can't really see why it would. I think I read somewhere that the Firmware self updates but I would have thought it was only when a new version becomes available.

Or am I not understanding your question properly?

[Steve]

I think 7.4.2 and 7.5 use the same firmware for the Boom. I think the firmware relates to the server release ,through my own ignorance I can't see a software version greater than 7.3.1 for the linkstation ,which looking at the changelog is associated with different firmware. I suppose I need to install 7.3.1 on a PC and see if it alternates firmwares.

[Ted]

Ah, right. That sounds reasonable, had me scratching my head there for a minute.

That being the case, then yes, upgrading the Buffallo or downgrading the PC to the same Server release group, should solve the issue. I can see how the squeezebox might get a touch confused. 

I've learnt something, thanks.